Man of Steel Photos: General Zod Non-CGI Costume

Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel won’t be in theaters until summer of 2013, but we’re already seeing a barrage of set photos depicting everything from Lois Lane to Superman to General Zod and his right-hand woman, Faora (Antje Traue).

Speaking of the General, fans still shell-shocked by Green Lantern’s failure were worried when photos popped up online of Michael Shannon – the man set to play Zod – in a motion-capture suit. Now, it is true that he will, at some point in the film, wear a computer-generated outfit, but you can take solace in the fact that he will also have a practical costume.

Indeed, new pictures have popped up over at the film’s unofficial Facebook page showcasing Michael Shannon wearing an all black outfit that is simultaneously reminiscent of both Zod’s costume from Superman 2 and Henry Cavill’s Superman costume in Man of Steel.

If you look closely, both Superman and Zod’s costumes have the same texture, the same bracelets, and the same strange fan-like design on their sides. The only obvious difference, based on these pictures, is their respective color palettes.

This seems to indicate that both costumes are out-and-out Kryptonian garb. Similarly, in the new DC reboot, Superman no longer wears an outfit designed by Ma Kent and her sewing machine; rather, his outfit is Kryptonian armor that he discovers after his career as the Man of Tomorrow has already begun. So it seems the lack of red underwear isn’t the only thing the new movie has in common with the Superman of The New 52 DC Universe.

It’s interesting that this film seems to be borrowing, at least in part, from the Christopher Reeve Superman series (villain repeat, similar costume design), especially when Superman Returns was heavily criticized for the same thing. Of course that film was also heavily criticized for turning Superman into a no-punching peeping Tom and absent father – and as far as we know, none of that is in Man of Steel.

How are you guys feeling about the direction of Zack Snyder’s Superman film? Let us know in the comments.